3 Helpful Tips When Traveling Through Bali

If you read the blog titled, A Beginners Guide To Yoga & Meditation, then you read about how I never (in a million years) thought I would be on the other side of the world from where I grew up and be teaching yoga, filmmaking and exploring the rainforests of Bali, Indonesia.

But... after years of dreaming, visualizing, meditating and planning, it all manifested. However, when you travel internationally for the first time like this, there are bound to be mistakes and things you could never in a million years plan for. And thats the purpose of this blog post, to help you out if your travels take you through Bali or any other beautiful island in Indonesia.

1. All Things Visa & A Warning About Visa Runs

A lot of people in the Bali / Ubud community have a KITAS which is the [expensive] visa which allows you to stay in Indonesia for up to 6 months. This visa is great for those who plan on staying for longer than the normal maximum visa length. The Visa on arrival is valid for 30 days and you can apply for an extension at the Immigration Offices. But make sure to do that within the first two weeks as their government can take up to 10 days to process your extension to stay. The max you can extend the Visa on Arrival is an additional 30 days. So, the max you can stay is 60 days.

Now, a lot of people do this:Every 60 days they have a flight booked to a neighboring country where you spend some time out of the country you just came from (in this case, Indonesia) and then fly back into Denpasar, Bali. Usually this is no problem. BUT, and this is a HUGE BBUUUTTTT.... make sure you stay out of the country for at least a week. If you do whats called a "Turn Around" too quickly, Immigration will flag your passport and then interrogate you about why you are traveling back and forth from foreign countries. This happened to me and I was stuck in Immigration Holding for three days. Read about that experience here. So, make sure you don't make the same mistakes I made.

2. Forget Your Plan & Go With The Flow

Bali is a magical place, filled with ancient temples, waterfalls, crystal clear water beaches, hidden lagoons and so, so much more. Some of the best days that I had while traveling in Bali were the days when I didn't look up anything on Pinterest and just let the Spirit of Bali just guide me. I packed my backpack with just the few necessities:

water & snacks

waterproof poncho (because it is the tropics!)

filmmaking gear (again, make sure you've got your waterproof gear!)

You'll never know where you might end up on this beautiful island. It, more than likely, will lead you to a special, rural place where few have been before. Nowadays, with everyone wanting to take footage and photos of places that influencers highlighted, it can sometimes feel hard to find a place thats truly untouched. If your open to surrendering your plan and going with the flow, Bali will surprise you.

It's good to have a plan and an intention of what you want to do / what you want to experience, but its just as important to know when to let the Universe guide you.

One day I drove up north towards the volcano (before it was erupting) and got lost on purpose, taking roads I never have before... and was lead to a special little stream where not a soul was in sight. It's moments like this where you can truly appreciate. I parked my bike and jumped into the cold water. Completely refreshing and very special to just be one with nature in that kind of way. Its these experiences that rejuvenate your soul and make it seem just a bit easier to remember to be grateful for all the abundance and variety that life has to offer us.

3. Spirituality, Yoga, Meditation, Healers & Shamans

Bali is a special place for a multitude of reasons. This is another one. If you are attracted to experiencing Bali, then make sure to have an open mind, but also know your limits and have healthy boundaries. If you are a seeker of truth, a yogi or any other term placed on someone who seeks spiritual wisdom, Bali can be an incredible place to meet like minded people in the spirituality world.

There are classes on everything you could possibly imagine here and trainings galore. It's a great place to explore and find out what is you and what is definitely not you. Its a place to learn more about your values and integrity. Continuously check in with yourself and ask the important questions if your actions resonate with you inner world of your soul. Healthy boundaries are KEY in Bali.

If you are seeking Bali for its healing powers, you will be in for a treat. What you seek, eventually is seeking you. Meaning, if you are looking for healing you will find just that. There are a plethora of healers out there offering many, many modalities of healing from; bodywork, fascia trauma release, yogi's, plan based medicine journeys and much much more.

If you are headed to Bali, make sure you learn about the various places to stay... Ubud is cultural and touristy. Uluwatu has the best surf. Kuta is crazy crowded and party central. Amed beach is quieter and has great beaches and excellent for divers as the water is crystal clear. The north is rural, poor and underdeveloped, but has great waterfalls and hidden temples. Definitely worth a trip to the north side.